No. No, she wouldn’t. Tiana wanted a marriage born out of love and respect, and she doubted this man had any respect for her, or any other female. The way he had spoken to her back on the ground had told her that.
“One.” The female voice reached the end of its countdown, and he throttled forward and then quickly eased off, to slow them down. The darkness around them gave way to red flashing emergency lights. They had successfully landed inside the ship.
Just as she thought they were safe, an alarm began to sound. “What does that mean?”
“Ship’s going to stall.”
“What?” Then she realized why. They were climbing steeply—the rover was somehow locked in place to stop them rolling back out—but the back door was still open. Or at least closing very slowly, but the creature was back after them, its jaws snapping shut, nearly taking a chunk out of the tailgate of the ship. If that happened, she doubted they would make it off the planet, the atmosphere would burn them up, or else the emptiness of space would suffocate them.
She slipped out of her seat, the laser gripped tightly in her hand as she slid to the back of the rover. Flinging the door open, she aimed and let off a round. It glanced off the creature’s nose, doing no real damage, but it did flinch, knocking itself off balance, and by the time it had righted itself they were beyond its reach, and the doors were nearly closed.
A hand gripped her gloop-stained jacket, hauling her back to the front of the rover and into the seat. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” he asked, his eyes blazing, the blue streaking across it like forked lightning. He sure was different. Unique. And mad.
“No. That’s why I went after him with the laser.” She titled her head on one side, wanting him to know she thought he was an imbecile. OK, so he had got them aboard the ship against the odds, but still, she knew what she was doing. The creature could have brought down the whole ship.
“Thank you, Princess Tiana Oliatro,” the woman’s voice said through the console.
He laughed. “You are a princess?”
Damn, how did the ship know? “What does it matter to you? Or are you expecting a bounty for rescuing me?”
“I’m sure Mak will give you sanctuary,” the female voice said.
“Sanctuary? What am I, a charity now? We were on the trail of a nice juicy fee, and now we are stuck with a princess.”
“It is common courtesy to offer shelter to those in need. I thought that was the Virdian way? Especially since she helped save me.”
Tiana raised one eyebrow at the man. “See, your friend has manners.”
He chuckled. “I should have known women stick together.”
“I do not know what you mean, Mak,” the woman’s voice said. “I was simply thanking Princess Tiana for her quick action.”
“What about my quick action? It was me who docked the rover.”
“Because I directed you. If I hadn’t lined it up perfectly…”
“I give up,” he said, and opened the door of the rover and slipped out.
Tiana followed. “Are we leaving the planet?”
“Yes. We should go to the control deck and buckle up.” He raised his voice. “Although with Stellia piloting, it will be smooth sailing.”
“I cannot guarantee that, Mak, so please make yourselves secure.”
He didn’t look back, only stalked out of the cargo bay, leading her through the ship, along two corridors and into the control deck. Which was empty.
“Where is Stellia?” Tiana asked, sure they would have found the woman here, in the heart of the ship.
“All around you. She is the ship.”
“Wow. I never knew a ship’s computer could have such a personality.”
“I am truly blessed. Now sit.” He indicated a seat, and she sat down, clicking the seat belt into place. “We’re good to go, Stellia.”
“Preparing for exit.” The ship’s gravity shifted. They were heading straight up through the atmosphere, the force knocking her back in her seat.
“This is one powerful ship,” Tiana said, her head back against the headrest, not able to move.
“She likes to think so,” he said.
The ship vibrated, her teeth chattered, knocking against themselves, while her hands gripped the arm rests. They climbed and climbed; it was if the monster below them had hold of them between its teeth, not letting them go.
Then they were free, launching into space, and she let out her breath, letting go of the tension that had built up inside her. With it went the last of her strength. Her muscles became heavy, and she could hardly lift her hand to undo her seat belt, and when she did, and tried to stand up, her legs wouldn’t support her. Worse, the laser she had clung onto, in the hope she would be able to use it to overpower him, slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor.
His strong arms caught her, stopping her hitting the floor. “Easy.”
“I just need to rest for a minute.”
“You look done in. It’s going to take more than a minute for you to recover.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” He lifted her up into his arms, and she couldn’t help it, she rested her head against his chest, liking the sound of his heartbeat in her ear. It was comforting, somehow.
Chapter Nine – Mak
His muscles clenched, and not just those of his arms. Every part of him contracted, wanting to close around her and protect her.
“Heart rate elevated,” Stellia said helpfully.
He growled. Deep in his chest the rumbling vibrated out, making other parts of his body come alive. Being attracted to her was not a thing he had anticipated. Up until he met her, he had considered all women, and princesses in particular, to be a pain in the ass.
Unless he wanted to take her to his bed, which didn’t happen often these days
Unlike many of the other bounty hunters, he was not a girl-in-every-star-port kind of guy. Women were few and far between, and as he had matured, the in-betweens had become longer. On day he hoped to find the right woman to settle down with and raise a family. Could this princess fulfill all of his needs?
Damn it, he was picturing himself living in a fairy tale. And everyone knew those things were not real!
“Set a heading for the planet Kalisov,” he ordered Stellia.
“No,” the woman in his arms protested, lifting her head and then placing her hands on his chest to push back from him. “I’m not going home.”
“Yes, you are. I have a job to do, a bounty to hunt down, and you have already wasted enough of my time,” he said, his jaw clenching, his feelings once more returning to irritation. Did she really think she could order him around? On his own ship?
“I am not going home. You can drop me off at the nearest space port.”
“No. I am taking you back to your home planet, and back to your father,” he said, through teeth that ground together. Mainly to stop himself saying any more. Mak was not good at holding his tongue, not unless there was a bounty involved.
“Please,” she said, and her eyes conveyed such emotion, he wanted to look into them, dive into them and be lost to her. Romantic rubbish.
“Give me one good reason why not? I’m suspecting your father has money and would be more than willing to compensate me for my time and trouble if I return you to him.”
“Is that all everyone is to you? A way to earn money?” she spat, her strength returning enough to look at him with loathing.
“No. But I’m not a charity either. If you were poor, I’d return you for free, but if Daddy can pay, then why shouldn’t he?”
Her face was so pale, she reminded him of a frozen moon, yet the heat in her eyes was still there, burning hot. “I have money.”
“I don’t want it.” His conscience wouldn’t rest if anything happened to her out here in space. “Space is not safe for a princess alone.”
“It’s more than my father will pay you. Please.”
Her teeth were chattering, she looked on the ve
rge of exhaustion, and he wondered how she still stood on her feet. This must mean a lot to her. Now he understood: she was running away, maybe she had fallen in love with an unsuitable man and was eloping, only to get stranded on that foul planet.
“Make me an offer,” he said.
“I don’t have money,” she said, wriggling out of his grasp completely.
“I don’t work on promises and credit,” he said bluntly.
“I could have guessed that,” she retorted, tearing at the lining of her jacket. “I have these.”
She took out a ring and matching necklace. Holding them in her hand, she offered them to him. He moved to take the ring, sensing her attachment to it, as her fingers involuntarily curled around it.
“I want to check they’re not fake.”
“They’re not. They were my mother’s. The finest Darkarian rubies.” Her voice caught in her throat. Running away must mean an awful lot to her.
“And how much of a distance do you expect these Darkarian rubies to put between you and Kalisov?” he asked.
She shook her head and her whole body wobbled with it. “I’m not running away.”
“That’s not what it looks like. What’s wrong, fall in love with the wrong man?” He couldn’t resist trying to hurt her, although he knew it was petty. Only she didn’t react as he had imagined.
“Is that what you think this is? Some personal goal of running from my life?” She shook her head. “But I suppose in your line of work, it’s always about self-gain.”
“Ouch,” he said, placing his hand over his heart. “Now who is making unfounded judgments?”
“Listen. I will give you these jewels, and you will take me to Haripor.”
“Haripor?” he questioned. “What is…”
She held her hand up. “There is something there I have to retrieve. Once we get it, you take me to the planet Rilan and I’ll give you the jewels. Then you can take me back to my father and claim your bounty.”
“I don’t understand?”
“You don’t have to,” she said. “You don’t have to understand, or ask questions, you just have to do it and get paid. Twice. That should appeal to a man like you.”
“A man like me…” He nodded. “Deal.”
“Good.” If it was possible, her skin grew paler, her hand reaching for the nearest solid object that would keep her on her feet. He made sure that object was him.
Lifting her up, he carried her to the small bunk room where he slept, despite her assurances she could walk there herself. “I’m just protecting my investment.”
With that he dumped her on the bed, turned around, tearing himself away from her, and left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
“Stellia…”
“Course set for Haripor,” she interrupted him.
“Women,” he said, and went to the console and sat down, replaying everything that had happened in his head, trying to figure out what Tiana was up to. Blackmail sprung to mind. That would explain why she had her mother’s jewels with her in the first place.
Unless she was spinning him a whole pack of lies. And he had heard them all before, he knew what people would do and say to get out of trouble. But she intrigued him, and despite his better judgment he wanted to see how this played out.
Maybe this princess would bring him in a sum as big as the bounty he had almost certainly lost by delaying picking up the trail of Victor Ulha. For once, he found he didn’t care.
Chapter Ten – Tiana
Was this the right thing to do? She still didn’t know if Larka had been kidnapped, but if she had, going to Haripor with that big hunk of man flesh was the surest way to get her back. He knew how to protect himself, and he would protect her, because she was his ticket to riches.
Maybe she should try to get a message to Kilma first, before they went bursting into Haripor? she wondered as she lay still, half in a dream world, half in the real world, her body too exhausted to get itself out of bed. Although the stiffness in her bones told her she had been lying here much too long.
And that might mean he had disregarded her offer and by now was close to her home planet, and her angry, disappointed father.
With a groan, she hooked her leg off the side of the bed and heaved herself forward, swinging her legs around to plant her feet on the floor. It was then that she noticed that she had a lot less clothes on than she had gone to bed in.
“Damn it!” Was the guy some kind of pervert too?
As if to answer her question, the door opened, and, without knocking, he came in. The only thing that stopped her launching the kind of attack on him her brothers were afraid of was the tray of food in his hand.
Her stomach rumbled so loudly, he must have heard it and a smile spread across his face. “Stellia said you were awake.”
Tiana frowned. “Does Stellia know everything?”
He dropped his voice conspiratorially. “She thinks she does.” He winked and looked up, as if he was expecting some clever retort from the computer. When it didn’t come, he raised his eyebrows, and said, “Here. Eat. Then we can talk.”
“About what?” she said, momentarily forgetting all about her lack of clothes as she took the tray from him, and set it on her lap. Picking up what looked like fresh bread, she bit into it. “That is delicious.”
“Stellia is the latest model, and she is fitted with the latest technology. Including some kind of oven that seems to work miracles on whatever is put in it. Ten minutes ago, that bread was a packet of powder.”
“Impressive,” she said, taking another bite. “I wouldn’t be able to guess.” He smiled, making her wonder if he was making it up, but found she didn’t care, and was not going to let him ruin her breakfast.
“So, Haripor?” he asked.
She sighed. It looked as if her breakfast was going to be ruined after all. “Is that where we are heading?”
“It is. We are in orbit. But before I dock, I want to know what exactly I’m getting myself into.”
“You don’t have to get yourself into anything. All you have to do is dock, let me out and then wait on your ship until I return.”
He laughed. “Have you been to Haripor?” His face grew serious. “If you take a step on that planet, you are likely to be taken and sold.”
“But I’m the daughter of the King of Kalisov.”
“Which is why you will fetch a good price.”
“They wouldn’t dare.”
“Why wouldn’t they?” He shook his head. “You have no understanding of their ways. Everything has a price to the slavers of Haripor. Which is why I need to know what I will be buying. Because I’m assuming it’s a person. Your lover? What, did your father not approve of you having an affair with the hired help, and so he sent him here?”
After nearly choking on her food, she placed her bread back down on the plate, swallowing the words she wanted to spit out at him and his rude assumptions. She had to play this cool; from what he said, she truly did need his help, because getting herself kidnapped would not help Kilma and Larka. She needed him to understand why she was here and why it was so important to her. “There is a girl.”
“A girl?” His voice told her his interest had been piqued. “I thought for sure we would be going there to trade for a lover of yours. Or maybe a kitchen maid who makes your favorite cookies.”
That did it! She stood up, despite her legs feeling as though they were still stuck in the bog. “Is that it? Or do you have any other insults? Just because I’m a princess, doesn’t mean I only think of myself.”
“Sit down and eat. I’m sorry.” He nodded. She figured he was sincere, and she wanted to eat, so she did as he asked and sat down.
“Where are my clothes?” she asked. Her temper had got the better of her, and she had momentarily forgotten she was half naked. “Or is this your idea of entertainment—strip a woman while she’s sleeping so you can see her half naked in the morning?”
“Your clothes smelt of that bog, and were glowin
g in the dark. I washed them, and once you have a shower you can have them back.”
“A shower? Another part of your ship’s advanced technologies?”
“It’s not exactly a shower, more of a decontamination chamber. You have no idea the kind of undesirable people I have on my shiny new ship.” The insult was aimed at her.
“Well, as soon as we have what I need from Haripor, and we have returned her to Rilan, you can take me home, get your bounty and I will be out of your life forever.”
He snorted, and then recovered himself. “I think we need to start again.” He turned his body towards her, making her incredibly aware of his presence. A heat emanated from him, and she wanted to lean into him, and let it soothe her aching body, and calm her frayed nerves. When he spoke about Haripor and how she would most likely end up as a slave there herself, she realized just how little she knew of the universe outside of the small bubble that was Kalisov and its surrounding territories.
“Thank you for rescuing me,” she said, deciding to play nice, at least for now. He might be a bounty hunter, but he appeared to be trustworthy, and trustworthy was all she needed right now. He could have just marched into Haripor and sold her himself; instead, he had offered to keep her out of their reach.
For the jewels in your pocket, she reminded herself. Her pocket!
“They are on the table next to my bunk,” he said, pointing behind her. He had read her mind.
“Oh,” she said.
“You sound disappointed I’m not a liar and a thief.” He took the tray and began eating the bread himself. She was being rude to him, and she didn’t know why. Here she was, on his ship, being treated fairly, eating his food.
“Not disappointed. Surprised.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because you are a bounty hunter. That means you hunt people down for money.”
“And that makes me a bad person?”
“Doesn’t it?” she asked, hoping he could prove her wrong, because she really wanted to like him.
“No. You see, my people live by certain rules. One of which is, we only take bounties from people who are looking for something, or someone they have lost. Like you and your child. Or your father might look for his missing daughter.”
The Princess and her Bounty Hunter: Alien Romance (Fated to the Alien: The Psychic Matchmaker Book 2) Page 5
